Cryogenic pump system
AssigneePraxair Technology, Inc.
InventorsJohn P. Borcuch, Francis W. DeMarco, Norman H. White
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for initiating the operation of a cryogenic pump wherein the suction line to the cryogenic pump and the cryogenic pump itself are brought to the proper cooldown temperature sequentially using separate temperature-based control schemes.
Claims10
A method for initiating operation of a cryogenic pump system, said cryogenic pump system comprising a low pressure liquid reservoir containing cryogenic liquid, a suction conduit passing from the low pressure liquid reservoir to a cryogenic pump, said suction conduit having a bypass line with a bypass valve thereon, a cooling line communicating with the cryogenic pump and having a cooling line valve thereon, a high pressure storage tank, and an output conduit passing from the cryogenic pump to the high pressure storage tank and having an output valve thereon, said method comprising:
- (A) passing cryogenic liquid from the low pressure liquid reservoir through the suction conduit and the bypass valve, and monitoring the temperature of the suction conduit;
- (B) when the temperature of the suction conduit is at a desired low temperature, closing the bypass valve, passing cryogenic liquid from the low pressure liquid reservoir through the suction conduit and the cryogenic pump, and monitoring the temperature of the cryogenic pump;
- (C) when the temperature of the cryogenic pump is at a desired low temperature, opening the bypass valve, flooding the suction line, cryogenic pump and cooling line, and thereafter closing the bypass valve and the cooling line valve and starting the cryogenic pump;
- and
- (D) pumping cryogenic liquid from the cryogenic pump through the output conduit and the output valve into the high pressure storage tank.
A cryogenic pump system comprising:
- (A) a low pressure liquid reservoir, a cryogenic pump and a high pressure storage tank;
- (B) a suction conduit communicating with the low pressure liquid reservoir and the cryogenic pump, said suction conduit having a bypass line with a bypass valve thereon for passing fluid out of the system, and means for monitoring the temperature of the suction conduit;
- (C) a cooling line communicating with the cryogenic pump and having a cooling line valve thereon for passing fluid out of the system;
- (D) means for monitoring the temperature of the cryogenic pump;
- and
- (E) an output conduit communicating with the cryogenic pump and the high pressure storage tank having an output valve system thereon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.